Summary

The article discusses the profound life lessons and spiritual parallels that can be drawn from the concept of light, emphasizing its significance in understanding divine truths, progression, and the ability to withstand divine presence.

Abstract

The author reflects on a personal experience of being temporarily blinded by light after waking up in darkness, using it as a metaphor to explore three spiritual parallels. Firstly, light is equated with truth, suggesting that enlightenment is essential for perceiving life's realities. Secondly, the article highlights the role of light in guiding individuals through progressive development, drawing a comparison between historical periods of darkness, such as the Dark Ages, and the enlightenment that followed, enabling societal advancement. Lastly, the text posits that one's capacity to embrace light in their life determines their readiness to face a divine being, drawing on biblical references to illustrate the contrast between light as an attribute of God and the inability of those accustomed to darkness to withstand divine luminosity. The author concludes that these lessons are universally applicable, regardless of one's belief in a higher power, and that the natural properties of light can offer guidance through life's complexities.

Opinions

The author believes that light is a powerful symbol for truth and enlightenment, essential for personal and societal growth.
Historical examples, such as the Dark Ages and the Enlightenment, are used to emphasize the importance of knowledge and learning in overcoming stagnation.
There is a strong conviction that spiritual progress is analogous to physical adaptation to light, with the implication that exposure to truth and sacred virtues is necessary to approach divine beings.
The article suggests that individuals who are accustomed to intellectual or spiritual darkness may find it challenging, if not impossible, to confront the overwhelming light associated with divinity.
The author asserts that the principles derived from the nature of light are universally relevant and can benefit everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Divine Lessons Learned From Light

Oh, how we need the blessings of light. For there are many life lessons to be learned from the understanding of its luminosity. Especially when we apply it to divine things, such as the concepts of progression, goodness, and God.

My mind pondered on the importance of light when I woke up late one night in darkness. Needing to use the restroom, I got up from my bed and started to make my way down the dark hallway. As I got to the bathroom, I went to turn on the light by flipping on the switch. As the light turned on, my eyes immediately shut from the greatness of the light. I then tried to force my eyes open attempting to face the light, so I could hurry up and get on with what I was doing. Hoping to quickly go back to bed.

I tried and end up failing. My body literally would not let me open my eyes facing the bathroom light. I attempted a couple of times for a few quick seconds. In order to enter the bathroom with my eyes open, I had to face the ill-lit hallway and get used to the small rays of light before I could behold the greater ones.

Now, this all happened in a matter of a minute or two. After, I just went on about my business and went back to bed. But as I went back to bed, I could not help but think of the spiritual parallels light as in our lives. I am going to focus on three.

Spiritual Parallel #1

Light opens our eyes to the truth.

Like turning on a light switch to see the details of a room. Being enlightened helps us see the truths of life. The two are eternally connected. For one cannot exist without the other.

Spiritual Parallel #2

Light helps us as people progressively move forward.

As we become more enlightened, we can see and understand paths we have the opportunity to take. To understand this more, I like looking at what happens in the absence of light.

Have you ever been lost? Whether physically in the dark of night or spiritually in the light of day? For darkness is equivalent to damnation. Meaning you cannot know what you cannot see. This also teaches us, you cannot progress to a destination you do not know.

For example, if we look back on history(specifically old European)we may recall something called the Dark Ages. A period between 500 A.D-1500A.D was filled with little to no progression as a society. People were stuck doing the same things day after day. This was a result of the European political climate making it extremely hard for people to learn. Purposely crippling the citizens of certain kingdoms from enhancing the brilliance of their minds. Hence, creating a lack of opportunities to enlIGHTen themselves.

It was not until The Early Enlightenment(the Late 1600s) when people started breaking free of an uneducated mental state. So thank you to all those people who fought darkness by questioning and sharing light to those who had none. People like Isaac Newton for math and theology. Galileo Galilei for astronomy and physics. Christopher Columbus for exploration. As well as, many others I do not have time to mention.

Spiritual Parallel #3

The more light one holds the more one is able to look upon someone or something that holds light.

This one stuck out to me the most because I am someone who has a firm belief in a divine creator. Mine is specific to God the Eternal Father. Who's theology comes from standard Christian biblical literature.

In the Bible it reads “As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.”(Psalms 68:2).

Now “wicked” is a very harsh word that I would not use for everyone or everything. However, in the context of light, wickedness is associated with darkness. Darkness is the direct opposite of light. Light is an attribute of God, who is specifically connected with this description because of his goodness, wisdom, and knowledge. Three things that we have probably directly experienced physically, intellectually, or spiritually in smaller ways within our own lives.

So just like I was not able to look upon the light in my bathroom, as a result of my eyes being used to the physical darkness of the hallway. If we are used to dwelling in intellectual or spiritual darkness within our lives, how much more difficult will it be to look upon God? Someone who reigns with infinite light, because of his equally infinite knowledge and goodness.

This is not even accounting for our desires to look upon God, whether we want to or not. Remember, I wanted to hurry up and use the bathroom. I chose to do my best to quicken the process by looking upon the light, so I could get done with what I was doing. My reaction was pure instinct. I physically could not look upon the light. My eyes shuttered from the greatness of its luster. They could not process all the information at once. And guess what? It was only some simple light bulbs!

Likewise, if one is used to dwelling in the captivity of darkness within this mortal state of life, I believe it will be physically impossible to look upon divine things without having and being used to the radiance of light. The light that only comes from truth and sacred virtues.

Now, I do realize that not everyone believes in God the way I do. Maybe you believe in a different type of creator or creation. Nevertheless, I think the lessons that can be learned from light are amazing and true.

I think they can be applied to many aspects of our lives whether we believe in a higher power or not. The science behind the natural elements of life can bring a lot of understanding to how one may navigate the craziness of life. For there are many likenesses between the physical and spiritual. For they are intertwined by truth, a metaphor for light.